| Department Store Buyer Becomes Interior | | | | Estate Journal and wrote an article under my |
| Designer | | | | clients' by-lines that appeared with the ad. |
| | | | After the article and ad appeared, I ordered |
| | | | reprints, wrote a solicitation letter, and |
| | | | bought a list of approximately 500 real |
| A man contacted me about promoting his | | | | estate lawyers (new showroom tenants |
| commercial interior design firm that he was | | | | typically have their lawyers negotiate their |
| starting. At that time he was working as a | | | | leases). The solicitation letters gave my |
| department store buyer where he was very | | | | clients web site address and where to find |
| bored in his job. He was interested in making | | | | his newsletter. The solicitation letters were |
| a career change to interior designing. He had | | | | mailed with a bulk mail permit from a local |
| no formal training but had educated himself | | | | post office. They were also sent via email. |
| in interior design and had worked on some | | | | |
| very small showroom and office design | | | | A few weeks later after sending out the |
| projects in an assisting role. | | | | solicitation letter and reprints, a lawyer |
| | | | who represented a men's suit designer company |
| After meeting with him and learning his | | | | responded to our ads. I prepared for my |
| goals, I did some research into office and | | | | client a four color brochure, a PowerPoint |
| showroom designs, and the correlations | | | | presentation, and a script to follow during |
| between new designs and increased business. I | | | | his presentation. My client was up against 3 |
| discovered that office interior designing was | | | | other firms competing for the contract. My |
| a lot more plentiful but more competitive. | | | | client was rewarded the contract. The |
| The larger design firms concentrated on the | | | | contract was for 1.5 million for a showroom |
| office designing market. I decide for my | | | | on a very fashionable Manhattan street. |
| client that it would be best if he would | | | | |
| concentrate his efforts on the showroom | | | | Five months after getting the contract to |
| design market which was less competitive and | | | | design this showroom my client completed the |
| easier to break into. | | | | project. The showroom turned out to be a huge |
| | | | success for the men's suit designer company. |
| I helped my client create a web site that | | | | The company even recommended my client to an |
| would express his unique approach to | | | | accessory manufacture and design company that |
| designing showrooms. The web site allowed | | | | the suit company was doing business with. |
| clients to request information on the | | | | |
| different types and styles of showroom | | | | With the permission of the men's suit |
| designs that my client has to offer. There | | | | designer company I arranged for several |
| would be articles and links to articles that | | | | stories about their work to be published. I |
| would be of interest and help prospective | | | | made changes on their web site to include the |
| clients with what type of showroom design | | | | success that my client had with the suit |
| would be best for their business. The web | | | | design company's show room design. I also |
| site would provide examples of other projects | | | | included it in the next company newsletter |
| that were successfully done. | | | | that was going to be published. I repeated |
| | | | the process with the mailing list both of |
| I wrote articles on the positive correlation | | | | them (conventional mail and e-mail) promoting |
| between new designs and increased business | | | | the success of my clients work. As a result, |
| and distributed them on the internet were | | | | my client got three additional clothing |
| clients would be looking for information. I | | | | design companies each of whom required large |
| included links in the articles back to my | | | | showrooms and offices |
| client's web site. I created a newsletter for | | | | |
| my client that contained helpful information | | | | The success of the first contract allowed my |
| to prospects by explaining several different | | | | client to break into a new market segment |
| ways of how new showroom designs can increase | | | | which is designing offices, which is the |
| business. The newsletter contained links to | | | | largest and most profitable in the interior |
| my clients' web site as well as links to | | | | design business. Here is where my client |
| articles and sources of information that | | | | decided to expand his business; and in order |
| would be of assistance to any potential | | | | to do this he must hire others who have the |
| prospects. | | | | skills to execute the appropriate tasks at |
| | | | hand. |
| I created a print ad for the New York Real | | | | |